Tag: Clothes

Today, take time to think about what you are spending money on. Do you buy things outside of paying your bills? You may be surprised to find out how much extra money you actually have.

When you are struggling to make ends meet, buying a $5 dollar Starbucks, a pack of cigarettes, or a bottle of wine can possibly add up to hundreds or even thousands of dollars per year and quite possibly be the reason why you are struggling to begin with, think about it.🤔

Make a short-term goal to eliminate this thing or activity that is costing you the little bit of extra money you may have. If you get your nails done once every two weeks, try for one month to save that money and put it away. In only a short time, you’ll realize that you actually have extra money that you can save, it’s a matter of, if you really want to.

Go on a money diet. Make a goal of a few weeks or a month. Eliminate everything extra that you spend money on that is not a necessity. This is a great challenge, even for myself, but doing this on the regular basis will help you build up to saving for a larger financial goal.

Track your money, become aware of what you actually to spend. You can do this! It just takes a little bit of time and discipline.

Moving, in my opinion, is always a fun new adventure to be had! It can also be a costly endeavor. I have moved more than the average citizen, due to military life. In this article, I will discuss how to move when you are on a budget.

First things first, do you know the new location you’re moving to? Are you familiar with the area, schools, cost of living, and overall lifestyle? If you are familiar with your new location, great, this will make your move easier and more than likely, you will settle in quickly. If you are not familiar with the new location take some time to research the area prior to your move.

Time to prepare for your move. Moving supplies can be costly depending on the size of the home that you are moving from. You can buy boxes at your local hardware store or multi-purpose stores like Walmart or Target. If you want to take the budget friendly route, you can go to the same local stores, including grocery stores, and ask the customer service representative if there are any boxes that you can have for free. Usually they are nice and will tell you when the store shipments come in and that’s when they will have boxes available for pick up. Purchasing a box of large, heavy-duty trash bags are another way to save money. You can pack soft items such as linen and clothes in the trash bags for short moves. I wouldn’t suggest this for long-distance moves because condensation may collect in the bags and cause mildew. You will also need tape for the boxes. You can rarely find it for free, but buying it in bulk at the hardware store is usually cheaper than buying it at the grocery store or your local shop.

The best thing that you can do for yourself, your family, and your budget, is to be prepared. I use a moving checklist. You can find them on Pinterest, Google, and many other sites.

Take your time. If you have knowledge of your move at least 3 months in advance, you have time to slowly purge items you no longer need or want and get things organized.

If you are renting a moving truck, check out different sites. Research different options, find out what size truck will best fit your needs and what price will best fit your budget.

Make your move simple, positive, and adventurous! Good luck on your new journey!

So I have a confession, I love to shop! But, who doesn’t? There is a way you can have the things you want and still live within your budget. If you are truly serious about securing your financial future, the first thing you have to learn is financial discipline. The hardest part is saying no, especially when there is something you want.

I have a weakness for clearance sales! When I see an item with a reduced price tag, something in my brain triggers. I start having racing thoughts; why do I need this item or how I can use it? I basically convince myself to buy the item.

There are ways that you can shop for the things you need and not break the bank. Buying clothes off season is cheaper than buying clothes in season. For my children, when clothing becomes deeply discounted (like a winter clothes sale in March), I like to purchase the next size up so that when my kids grow, they always have new clothes and I don’t have to rush out and buy regular priced clothing.

There are plenty of great stores to watch for off-season sales, also when they discontinue items. Walmart, Old Navy, (If you’re military, the Exchange), Target, Drjays.com, etc. You just have to do a little research to find out when these stores are getting rid of discontinued or off-season items.

Did you know there are places like hotels, rental centers, and banquet halls that have furniture, appliance, and other household item sales regularly? Call around, see if there are any happening near you!

Over time I have taught myself financial discipline by comparing the importance of things I may want now, to something that I want in the future. For example: A Coach purse is $200 dollars. You can buy it now and have a pretty $200 dollar purse sitting in your closet, or, you can take the $200 dollars and save it for the down payment on the house you plan to purchase in the future. The choice is yours, but remember, so is the consequence!